Rick scrubbed his beard with both hands. “That’s wise. It would be hard to have to choose to leave your home.”

Tadeas held out his hand, and Ayo readily gave him hers. A part of Rick’s heart tugged at the intimate gesture. “It is not hard to decide to stay,” Tadeas said.

Rick started to relax and struggled to keep his eyes open.

“Captain Norton,” Ayo said.

He jerked and opened his eyes. Ayo stood before him. Had he fallen asleep?

“You are welcome to rest here until your men get back,” Ayo said. She gestured at a pallet on the floor across the room.

He shook his head. “I’ll sit here, if that’s okay. I think if I lie down, I wouldn’t get back up anytime soon.” He ended his refusal with a smile so she wouldn’t think him rude, though she tempted him with her offer.

“You are welcome here,” she said, patting his shoulder.

He intentionally closed his eyes now, relaxing in the chair, hands on his weapon. The next thing he knew, he heard Cynthia’s voice. With a struggle, he opened his eyes again. He stood and walked over to Swanson. “Go ahead and head back. I’ll escort the doctor.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Tadeas,” she breathed, slipping the strap of her medical bag over her head. “What did he hit you with?”

“Buttstock of his rifle.”

“Hope you didn’t hurt the rifle,” she said as she slipped gloves out of her pocket.

Rick sat quietly and observed her. She was comfortable with these people, at ease. She and Tadeas joked, Ayo anticipated her needs, and Ayo’s grandmother interjected comments here and there.

After Cynthia stitched Tadeas’s eye, she probed his cheek—“Not broken”—and checked his ribs. “Keep it clean,” she instructed, pulling the gloves off. “And watch out for those rifle butts.”

The entire time, she ignored the blood of the dead soldier and Rick’s array of weapons. He appreciated her restraint.

Finally, she turned and approached Rick. “You need to sleep.”

The longest he had ever gone without sleep had been during Ranger School. Compared to that, he could take this. He hadn’t even hallucinated yet. At least not that he knew about.

He nodded. “No argument. Plenty of time once my men are safe and you’re delivered.”

Through his earpiece, McBride reported that they’d returned to camp. “Acknowledged.” Rick looked at Cynthia. “Time to go, Doc.”

While she gathered her supplies, Rick said to Ayo, “I saw a raft outside against the smaller outbuilding. I’d like to buy it from you.”

Ayo translated what he said, and her grandmother waved her hands back and forth. “No, no,” she said in French. “I want you to take it. With my blessing.”